Lamp filament sorting machine



LAMP FILAMENT SORTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 28, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 N BYATTO'RNE July 1936. E. c. LINDEGAARD 2,046,394

LAMP FILAMENT SORTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 28, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 illBY ATTORNEY y 1936. E. c. LINDEGAARD 2,045,394

LAMP FILAMENT SORTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 28, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gymWk? "H JIM ATTORN E Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES LAMP FILAMENTSORTING MACHINE Erik C. Lindegaard, East Orange, N. J., assignor toWestinghouse Lamp Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationJanuary 28, 1933, Serial No. 654,014

23 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of incandescent electric lampsand relates more particularly to a. machine for sorting helically coiledfilaments according to overall lengths.

Incandescent lamps as constructed in accordance with modern practiceinclude a helically coiled filament usually comprised of fine tungstenwire. These filaments contain definite amounts of wire and constitute aresistance element which,

upon the passage of electrical energy therethrough, become heated toincandescence and constitute a light source.

Coiled filaments may be made either by winding a filamentary wire upon amandrel and cutting the mandrel wound wire into sections ofpredetermined lengths or they may be wound by means of what is termed amandrelless coil-winding machine wherein the filamentary wire is coiledto the desired pitch and diameter in the absence of a mandrel. As thefilamentary wire is coiled and coils issue from the mandrelless machinethey are cut into sections of predetermined lengths.

The production of incandescent electric lamps 5 is attended by certaindefinite requirements insofar as the dimensions and proportions of thecomponent parts of the lamps are concerned so that the finished productwill be of a quality to meet the manufacturers standard. Y

Although mechanism is provided for cutting an indefinite length ofhelically coiled filament into sections of uniform length, insofar asthe actual amount of wire is concerned in a given coiled section, theoverall lengths of the coiled 35 sections may vary slightly. It becomesnecessary, therefore, to sort the coils and to select or remove coiledsections which do not fall within the limits of certain predeterminedoverall lengths.

The sorting of the coils to collect groups of 40 coils of similarlengths is of particular importance in connection with the use of anautomatic mounting machine. The high-speed production of lamps has madeit desirable to provide machines for automatically mounting coiledsections 45 and mechanism is therefore provided for positioning thecoiled sections and clamping or welding the ends to lead wires of a lampstem. The automatic mounting of lamp filaments makes it necessary toprovide coiled sections of definite 50 and uniform overall lengths sothat when positioned to be received by a mechanism for performing theautomatic mounting operation, the means, such as the jaws which grip theends of the filamentary section, may be given a fixed position "55 andthe filaments or coiled sections may be fed thereto without failure ofthe jaws to grip the ends of the filament by reason of a difierence inthe overall filament lengths.

7 It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide meansfor automatically selecting coiled sections of uniform lengths.

Another object of the invention 1 to provide a machine for selectingcoiled sections of different lengths and for collecting sections ofsimilar lengths in groups.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more clearlyunderstood by reference to the following description together with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a coiled sorting machine constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line IIII in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a view taken on line III-III in Fig. 2;

Figured is a view taken on line IV-IV in Fig. 2;

Figure 5 is a view taken on line V-Vin Fig. 2;

Figure 6 is a view taken on line VI-VI in Fig. 2;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a jaw actuatingplunger;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an adjustment blockfor longitudinal adjustment of a jawj V V Figure 9 is a fragmentaryperspective view partly in section showing a gauge rod for use in Igauging the length of a coiled section;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary detailed view showing a ratchet driving rod;and I V Figure 11 is an enlarged plan view partly in section showinggauge members and gripper jaws in various positions during the gaugingoperation.

Although the present invention may be employed to sort elongatedarticles capable of being gripped at their ends, the selected embodimentof the invention is especially constructed to sort sections 9 of coiledfilamentary wire. Sections of helically wound filament which may betermed coils are cut from windings of indefinite length and, as abovepointed out, slight variations occur in the overall lengths of thecoils.

The present machine, therefore, operates to handle the extremely finefilaments and sorts them into groups, each group containing coils of agiven length. 7

The main operating elements of the machine may include head ID, acoil-removing head H and a coil-receiving element l2. [The sorting headlll is rotated and the coil removing head II is reciprocated to andfromoperative position V 'themotor and other operating mechanisms; The

with the sorting head. Mechanism for actuating the sorting and removing.means may comprise a motor l3 having suitable reduction gear box l4provided with a driving gear wheel 15.

The gear wheel 15 is disposed in mesh with a gear wheel l6 .looselymounted on a horizontal gear wheel I6 is provided with pawls l5. and J6whichengagea ratchet wheel IT secured tothe shaft II. 'Thisconstructionmakes it possible for an' operator to move the variousoperating partsof the machinebyturning'a fiy wheel 28 which is securedtothe shaft I! and which serves to actuate the coil sortingmechanism in amanner to be later described: Inasmuchas the machine may be operated byturningthe fly wheel by hand it is possible 'to readilymake thenecessary adjustments of the coil-sorting elements by trial. I r

The horizontal "shaft I! is. provided with a bevelled gear .23 in meshwith a bevelled gear 24 andv one end of a shaft 25; The shaft 25 may 7be journaled in a bearing 26 on the bearing plate '22 and a bearing 21on a suitable supporting bracket .28. :The opposite endof the shaft 25is, provided with adisc 29 having an eccentrically di'sposedfwristpin 3|to' which one end of ajconnecting rod 32 is pivotally attached. Theother end of [the connecting rod 32,18 .pivotally attached to an arm'33(see Fig. =10). pivoted on a shaft 34 and carrying. a do gj35 forengagement with :teeth 36 of a ratchet wheel 31. l

The arm 33 is loosely mounted on'the shaft 34 and the ratChetwheel ispinned or otherwise secured to the shaft. Thus an oscillatory move- Vment of,.the-arm 33, by reason of the motion translated from the shaft25, will cause aninter- "mittent'rotary motion-of thesiha-ftfu about its"member42. and secured tothe bushing 38 by a suitable set' longitudinalaxis. The shaft- 34 'is disposed in a stationary guide bushing 38rigidly secured in 'afbra'cketi39. At one end of the shaft-34 -is se-jcured a cylindrical conveyor. movable upon a *ro'tationof the shaft 34'.Intermediate the conveyor and the bracket 38 is a "stationary cam Thiscam member is mounted on scre'wandis held in position by a lock collar'43.

Adowl or steadypin extends from the bracket 39 and into an aperture inthe body of the stationary camrnember 42-1to hold the same in a definiteposition. 'The'cylind-rical conveyor 4| is provided'with equallyspacedlong-itudinal slots 45 to receive coiled sections from a source ofsupply 46 Means for depositing the coiled sections in the and dropit-througha chute onto a guide surface 49 and thence into a positionedslot. Jaws,

operable topicl: up -coi1sf0rdeposit, are showningco-pending-application Serial No; 487,238 filed October 8, 1930;which application. is assigned to the-wassigneeof the present invention;7

Inthe absence of coil depositing'mechanism; "such ase-the gripper jaws-41, coils maybe deposited in the chute 48 by hand. The slots45 whichreceive the coils may be of any suitable number spaced around theperiphery of the conveyor and each slot is provided-with ang-exreceivingelement 12.

' tending lip 5| to maintain the coils onthe conveyor until each slothas reachedthe lowest position of its movement .whereuponany coilremaining in the slot will be deposited in a receptacle 52. As will belater described, the coils which are carried aroundwith the conveyor anddeposited in the receptacle 52 are coils which are selection. V

For the purpose of positioning coiled sections indefinite relation totheir respective slots, each slot is provided with a' push rod or gauge53. 2

Each push rod is provided with a spring member 54 (see Fig. 9) intheiorm of a memberhaving two arms 55 and 51 connected by a coi1ed sec-.tion. Each of the arms 55 and 51 is tensionally urged awayfrom theother'and the arm 55 enof a length too'short tobe within the range ofgages a head 156 on the push rod 53 and arm 51' r engages a. bushing 58in which the push rocl is movable. 7V 7 The spring member :54v for eachpush. rod is clampediin a skirt 59 extending from a hub 5! on theconveyor 41 When theiconveyor is moved.

the heads 5.601 the push "rods engage .cam surface62 of the cam member42and tend tomove a coiled section along its slot. The movement of "eachpush rod 53 is regulated so thatupon its complete movement the distancebetween its end and the edgeofethe slot 45 will be afixeddistance. i. Y,e Thus,' if a coiled section is of sufilcient length to project beyondthe edge of the conveyor (see Fig. 11) a pair of jaws 63 will beoperated, by

means presently to be described. to remove the coil'and drop it into oneof a number of receptacles 64 positioned at the bottom of the coil.moved. e V

As above mentioned, if a. coiled section is dropped into one of theslots 45 and it projects Five receptacles 64 are employed in the presentconstruction and'each receptacle isf-positioned beneath guide plates orpartitions 64' which direct-coils released from the The receptacles morethan apredetermined distance, it is first W .fidjllStBd by a centeringplunger '65 and then 7 After. the-adjustor plunger 56 has moved the"coiled;

moved inwardly by. an adjustor plunger 65.

section inwardly leaving it to project a predetermined distance, one of'the gauges orpush rods :53 is moved to engage the inner end ofthecoiled section. If the coiled section is of a given predeterminedlength, the .push'rod will contact with the inner end of-thecoil withoutmoving forward. T I-f, however the coiled. section is of alength greaterthan thedistance between the advanced face-of the adjuster plunger. andthe end -ad-' vanced, one "of the push rods 53 will move the r j coiledsection outwardly and'the distance the coil 7 slots ;45 may comprise apair of gripper jaws 41 operable to pick up a coilfrom 'the supply 46extends from the edge of theconveyo'r will, obviously, be greater thanthe distance between the edge of the conveyor.

beyond the edge ofthe conveyor and will thus be 1 carried around andeventually discharge in the receptacle 52.

It will be appreciated that thecoils or coiled.

sections, as they are received from the cutting mechanism, are outwithin extremely narrow limits for lengthand the only variation. in theengths :ottlre severed coils occurs by reason or slight variations inthe pitch or slight irregulariparticularly Fig. 11 which is an enlargedview,

show seemingly great variation in lengths, such variation is very smalland the selection of coils is carried out to an extremely fine degree.

The mechanism for gripping and removing the coiled sections constitutesthe coil-removing head H and is equipped with five of the heretoforementioned coil-gripping jaws 63 which may, as a whole, be considered ascoil-removing members 6?. These members have a scissor-like constructionand comprise lever members 68 and 69. The lever member 68 is providedwith a short arm II and a long arm 12 and the lever member 69 isprovided with a short arm 13 and a long arm l4. Tnese arms are pivotallymounted on a pin 15 and are free to rock as a unit about the pin 15,which is mounted on a slide block 16 between guide plates N.

A tension member 18 mounted on the pin 15 is provided with oppositelyactuating arms to normally hold the jaws 63 closed. For the purpose ofopening the jaws each coil-removing member is provided with ajaw-opening plunger 19 mounted on a movable cross-head 8| and held by aset screw 82. The plunger 19 is provided with an eccentrically disposedcontact end 83 and a knurled finger piece 84 so that by adjusting theset screw 82 the contact end 83 may be adjusted about the longitudinalaxis of the plunger. The purpose of this adjustment is to cause a slightmovement in the position of the coil-removing member as a unit after thejaws are opened.

It is evident that the plunger may also be adjusted endwise to vary theposition of the contact end 83 so that the jaws may be opened or closedin predetermined time relation.

A further adjustment of coil-removing members 6'! is accomplished bymeans of an adjustment screw 88' (see Figs. 2 and 8) held in a slot inplate 96. The screw 84 threadedly engages the threads 86 in a slideblock 16. This adjustment means makes it possible to move thecoil-removing members 61 so as to vary the length of the portionsgripped by the jaws 63.

By reason of the construction and adjustability of the plunger 19 theymay, by trial, be adjusted to guide the jaws 63 into their properpositions to grip a coil positoned in a slot. It will be appreciatedthat, inasmuch as a slight variation occurs in the space relation of thecoiled sections, each of the members 61 must be slightly adjusted. whichadjustment is readily acomplished by the means aiiorded. Once theadjustment is made, the machine may operate continuously.

For the purpose of actuating the coil-removing member 57, as well as theplunger 19, mechanism. as more clearly shown in Fig. 2, is provided.This mechanism may comprise a slide carrier 85 movable on a table 86integral with the base plate 2 l. The slide carrier has a verticalextension 81 at one end on which the coil removing members 61 aremounted.

A stop plate 88 having adjustable stop screws 89 is provided to limitand adjust the forward movement of the slide carrier 85. Slidablymounted on the slide carrier 85 is the cross-head 8| having a baseportion 9| provided with a pin 92 to which one end of a crank arm 93 ispivotally attached. The otherend of the crank arm is pivotally attachedto a wrist pin 94 eccentrically positioned on a fiy-wheel 28 secured toshaft !1. The cross-head 8| is movable relative to the carrier 85, suchmovement being limited between stop plates 95 at one end of the carrierand a plate 96 at the other end thereof.

When the crank-arm 93 is operatedto'move the cross-head toward thecoil-removing members 61,

the plunger 19 engaging said members, are oper-g; 5'

ated to open the jaws thereof and, by reason of the contact between thepush rod 8| of the crosshead and the stop plate 96, the jaws are movedinto position to grip ends of coiled sections extending from theconveyor. An opposite move- :19 ment of the crank arm 93 moves thecross-head ill thus removing the plunger 79 from operative relation tothe members 61, permitting the jaws to grip coiled sections.

The cross-head continues in its reverse move- .15 ment until a stopmember 91 thereof engages the stop plate 95 whereupon the cross-headcauses the carrier 85 to move away. from the conveyor into position todeposit the coiled'sections over the several receptacles. A continuedoperation of 2D the crank-arm results in a return movement of the crosshead bringing the plunger 19 into engagement with the members 61,causing the jaws to open and the coils to be deposited in theirrespective receptacles. A continued movement of 12.5 the crank arm 93repeats the operation of opening the jaws at which time other coiledsections have moved into position to be gripped thereby. As thecross-head 8! is actuated the centering plunger 65 and the adjusterplunger 66 are operated.

Although the present machine is operable to select filaments havingpredetermined lengths, the present arrangement of the operating elementsserves to select filaments having lengths within 235 given limits.

The lamp filaments as they are received from the coil winding machine,vary in length from 38 to 42 millimeters. The present machine isprovided with five sets of coil or filament removinggio members, thefirst set serving to remove filaments of over 42 millimeters in length;the second-set removing filaments between 42 and 41 millimeters; thethird set removing filaments between 41 and 40 millimeters; the fourthset re- 45 moving filaments between 40 and 39 millimeters and the fifthset serving to remove filaments between 39 and 38 millimeters.

Theabove arrangement of the jaws, as well as the schedule for theselection of sizes, is given: merely as an example of a practicalembodiment of the invention. It is, of course, to be understood thatmore or less jaws may be employed and that the selection may be eithernarrowed or broadened depending upon the degree of diner-: ence requiredin the selection of filaments. If desirable, the machine may be operatedto select filaments of only one size or to select filaments of severalpredetermined sizes or lengths.

It has been found, in the use of filaments in connection with a mountingmachine, that filaments separated in accordance with the schedule abovegiven, answer manufacturing requirements in the automatic mounting oflamp filaments.

However, if the filament is of greater length than 75 same operationfollows for; filaments as they :38 millimeters, and it lies in a slotwith one end projecting, the adjuster members '65 and 66 will "move ituntil an'end of the filament extendsfrom '.'the' edge oftheslota'predetermined distance.

This distance removes the'end of the filament ,Efrom a path of travelwhich would bring .it in position to be gripped by one of. thepairs offjaws 63. ,As the conveyor rotates, however, the

plungers 53 engaging with thecam 42 are moved and the filamentis causedto move endwise and r project from the edge of the conveyor 9.sufiicient V the end of a filamentof that length. If 'a, fila- V ment isbetween 41 and 42 millimeters the plunger 7 V1 mittent by reason or thepawl and ratchet 36 V '15,

distance to bring the end of the filament into position to be gripped bya pair of'jaws. 1 As will be noted, the plungers 53 have differentdegrees of movement by reason of the formation Y of the cam surface 62.The coil-removingmem has .61 (see Fig; 11) are indicated by referenceletters A, B, C,.D, and E each member being dis- 1 posed adjacent to aplunger'53-whichj engages different portions of the cam surface :62.Thus filamentsdisposed in the slots ward different distances:

will'be moved for- If a filament is over 42 millimeters it will beremoved by coil-removing member A since the distance between the end ofthe plunger opposite the member A and the jaws 63 is 42 millimeters ormore, thus permitting the jaws 53 to receive 53 opposite to member Bwill move it forward one millimeter and it will be gripped by the jaws63 on the member, B. The degreeof movementof the plungers 53 has beenset at 'onemillimeter audit will be evident that the jaws "oppositeeach-plunger serve to secure the'ends; of all filaments withinonemillimeter difference. filament is between 40 and 41 millimeters itwill not be-secured by the jaws 'on member Blbut when moved opposite tomemberC-the plunger will move it so thatxan end isreceivjed. The

reachcoil-removing members D andrE.

The movementof the conveyor drum is inter and after each movement of theconveyor it has a stationary period during which time the coilremo'vingmembers'are .advancedand retracted.

.This operation is accomplished by means of the crank arm '93. As'themembers 5! are moved forward the actuating plungers 83'engage andseparate the arms H and 13 of eachmember thus opening the jaws 63 toreceive the endof a'filament. I

It has been found that although the slots are disposed in equal spacerelation on the drum,

the filaments vary in their: respective space relation by reason of thetangential relation of the slots tothe periphery of the drum. Onefilament will be at the bottom of a slot and the next at one sideor oifcenter with respect to the bottom and so on. This condition makes itdifficult to determine the space relation required for the.

Jams 63.

was

member bodily. V 1 V g r The position of thejaws 631is; determined bytrialand when once adjusted the machine op- Thepresentconstructiomtherefore, as above described, provides the'eccentric'plungers 83 whichserve not only to open the jaws but to move ther'nembers' fi'l about their pivot so that,

the'several pairs of jaws may each be adjusted by reason of'theadjustability of theplungers 83, As each plunger moves to open the jawsit bears against an arm" of the member adjusting the erates withoutfurther attention insofar asthe If the V 1 port for articles,pushrodsfor engaging'ends of space relation of the filaments in theirrespec-' tive slots is concerned. When themembei's. 61

'have been moved forward the jaws 63 are inpo- V 3 sition to, grip theend of anyfilament extending such a distance that its pathoirmovement'will J bring it between a pair of jaws. a The plungers 8'3 thenwithdraw from between P the arms of the members 61 and the jaws close,under theaction of their, springs .18. g

The members 61 all retractafter an actuation of I 7 their jaws andfilaments secured between jaws opened and thefilaments drop into, thedifierent receptaclesand are thus assorted for length. 7 Although apreferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described. herein, itis to' be, understood that modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the'spirit and.

scope of the invention asset forthin the appended claims. I V r r .i

What is claimed is: r V r 1. .A machinefor sorting filaments accordingto length comprising a drum, said drum having longitudinal slots toreecive filaments of different? lengths, means. movable along said slots.for .mov-

in said slots to project ends thereof from said support,'means formoving'said support to cause f said filament ends to travelthrough agivenpath,

plurality of pairs of jaws, means for. supporting said pairs of jaws ingiven positions with respect to the path .of movement of said ends,means for actuating said pairs of jaws to grip an end moving into rangethereof,l means for opening said jaws to release gripped filamentsandmeans for collecting filaments gripped-by the respective jaws intoseparate groups/f 2. A machine for separating'elongatedj articles I V ofdifferent lengths into groups comprising a sup-" said articles-to movethem to predetermined positions on said support, a carriage, means onsaid V carriage for gripping the ends of said articles, and 'meansformoving'said support to position carriage to position said firstmentioned means to grip said articles and meansfor causing said 17gripped articles to .be released.

3.A machine for separating elongated articles 7' of different lengthsinto groups comprising a support forarticles, individually operablemeans for moving saidarticles to predetermined positions Q i grippingmeans; mounted on said carriage, means 65 g a for movingsaid filamentsupport to position a projecting filament'to .be secured by said grip.ping means, .means for moving said carriage to 7 position said grippingmeans to secure the end of i said filament, means for actuatingsaidgrippingfi y o means 'to secure said end and means for moving .saidcarriage to remove said filament from said 7 filament support.

. 5. A lamp filament sorting machine comprising e a support forfilaments, a push rod for engaging i5 are. moved over the respectivereceptacles; the plungers 83 againcome forward the jaws are g ingfilaments endwise a predetermined distance said articles: forremoval,means for moving said an end of each filament, means forindividually actuating said push rods forv moving said filaments toproject ends thereof from said support, a carrier, filament grippingmeans mounted on said carrier, means for movingsaid, support to positiona projecting filament end to be securedv by said gripping means, meansfor moving said carrier to position said filament gripping means.

adjacent the ends of positioned filaments, means for actuating saidgripping means to secure the ends of said filaments, means for actuatingsaid carrier to remove said filaments from said support and means forreleasing said filamentsfrom said gripping means. Y

6. A filament sorting machine comprising a rotatable carrier, saidcarrier having slots to rel ceive filaments, plungers movable in saidslots foradjusting filaments in said slots to project the ends of thefilaments, acarriage, aplurality of pairs of gripper jaws on saidcarriage, means for moving said carrier to position filament endsadjacent to said gripper jaws, means for moving said carrier to positionfilament ends between said jaws and means for actuatingsaid jaws to gripthe ends of said filaments.

'7. A filament. sorting machine comprising a rotatable carrier, saidcarrier. having slots to refilament adjuster dividual filament adjustormembers for moving filaments to predetermined'positions insaid slots, acarriage movable to and from said conveyor, a plurality of pairs of jaws-mounted' on said carriage for gripping the ends 'ofsaid filaments,

means for moving said carrier-to position 'filaments adjacent to saidpairs of jaws, m'eans'for moving said carriage toward said conveyor,means for actuating said jaws to grip said filaments and means formoving said carriage away from said conveyor to. remove filaments. 1

9. A filament sorting machine comprising a conveyor having slots toreceive'filaments, individual filament adjuster members for moving saidfilaments to predetermined positions in said slots, a movable carriage,a plurality fof pairs of jaws for gripping the ends of said filamentsmounted on said carriage, means for moving said conveyor? to positionfilaments adjacent said pairs of jaws, means for moving said carrier toposition said jaws to grip said filaments, means operable upon amovement of said carriage to cause said jaws to grip said filaments forremoval from said conveyor and means for opening said jaws to releasesaid filaments.

10. A machine for separating filaments of similar lengths into groupscomprising a support for receiving a plurality of filaments of differentlengths, individually operable means for moving said filaments endwise apredetermined distance to project the ends thereof from said support, acarriage, jaws for gripping a predetermined portion of the end of afilament mounted on said carriage, means for progressively moving saidfilaments into position to be gripped, means for movsupport, means formoving said support to cause ing said carriage to position said jaws togrip the, ends of filaments and means operating in timed 11. A machinefor separating filaments of similar lengths into groups comprising asupport for receiving a plurality of filaments of different lengths,push-rods for moving said filaments endwise a predetermined distance toproject the ends thereof from said support, a reciprocal carriage, 10jaws for gripping predetermined portions of the ends of filamentsmounted on said carriage, means for progressively moving said filamentsinto position to be gripped, means for actuating said jaws to grip saidends and means for depositing gripped filamentsin acommon group. 1

12. A machine for collecting filaments of similar lengths into groupscomprising a support for a plurality of filaments of different lengths,a member movable along the longitudinalzaxis of each filament for movingsaid filaments endwise a predetermined distance to project the endsthereof from said support, a carriage, a plurality of gripe per membersmounted on said carriage and positioned to grip predetermined amounts ofextended filament ends when said carriage is moved, means for movingsaid support to progressively position the filamentends to be gripped,means for moving said carriage to position said members to grip saidends and means for actuating said members to grip filament endsprojecting from said support.

13. A machine for collecting filaments of similar lengths into groupscomprising a support for a plurality of filaments of different lengths,a plurality of members for engaging the ends of the filaments, means forindividually actuating said. members to move said filaments endwise apredetermined distance to project the ends thereof from said support, acarriage, a plurality of gripper membersmounted on said carriage andpositioned to grip predetermined amounts of extendedfilament ends whensaid carriage is moved, means for moving said support toprogressivelyposition the filament ends to be gripped, means for movingsaid carriage to position said members a to grip said ends, means foractuating saidmembars to grip'filament ends and means for moving saidcarriage to remove filaments from said support. l

14..A machine. for sorting filaments according to length comprising adrum, said drum having longitudinal slots to receive filaments ofdifferent lengths, means movable alongsaid slots for mov-s ingfilamentsendwise a predetermined distance in said slots to project ends thereoffrom said support, means for moving said support to cause said filament.endsto travel through a given path, a. carriage, a-plurality of pairsof jaws, a carriage, for moving said pairs of jaws in given positionswith respect to the path of movement of said ends, and means foractuating said pairs of jaws to grip a filament end moving into rangethereof.

15. A machine for sorting filaments according to length comprising adrum, said drum having longitudinal slots to receive filaments ofdifferent lengths, means movable along said slots for moving filamentsendwise a predetermined distance in said slots to project ends thereoffrom said said filament ends to travel through a given path, a pluralityof pairs of jaws, means for supporting said pairs of jaws in givenpositions with respect to the path of movement of said ends, means foractuating said pairs of jaws to grip an end mov- V ingintoirangethereof, means for opening said 7 jaws to release gripped filaments andmeans for V into separate groups.

and means operable upon a movement of said car- [-veyor, means movablealong said slots for moving collecting filaments gripped by therespective jaws 1 16. A machine for separating filamentsaccordfing tolength comprising a cylindrical conveyor,

vlongitudinal filament receiving slots on said conveyor, means movablealong said slotsfor moving filaments endwise in said slots, a carriage,a plurality of pairs of coil-gripping jaws mounted on saidcarriage,means for moving said carriage to dispose said members inposition to grip said fila-; ments, means operable upon a movement ofsaid carriage inone direction for opening saidjaws,

riage in another direction for closing said jaws. '17 A machine forseparating filaments according to lengtheomprisinga cylindricalconveyor,

longitudinal filament receiving'slotson said confilaments endwise insaid slots, a'carria'g'e, a pluralityof pairs of coil-gripping jawsmounted on said carriage,'means for operating 'said jaws-to gripfilaments, means operable upon a movement of said carriage in onedirection to open said jaws to release said filaments. 1:18. A machinefor separating filaments-according tolength comprising a cylindricalconveyor, longitudinal filament-receiving slots on said con- 7 veyor,means movable along said slotsfor moving filaments endwise in saidslots, a carriage, a plui rality of coil-gripping jaws for securing theends means movable relative to said carriage for opening said jaws,saidmeans operating upon a movement of said carriage to close said jaws andmeans for moving said carriage to move" said filaments endwise forremoval from said supporti p 20. A machine for separating elongatedarticles of diiierent lengths into groupscomprising a sup- V port forholding said articles, in spaced. relation,

a plurality of receptacles arranged to receive said articles, means formoving said articles endwiseon said support to project ends thereof overone side of said support, meansrfor moving said support to successivelyposition said extended ar-- ticles adjacent to said receptacles, aplurality of, pairs of gripping jaws, means for moving each.

' predetermined distance, means for removing said pair or-jawsto grip anendj of an article ex- Qtended a predetermined distance .from said support, means for moving said jaws to remove grip-j deposit off-articlesof one length intoone receptacle and articles of a different lengthother receptacle. j I,

V 21. A machine for separating elongated articles into different groups'comprising: a support for into anholding articles in relation, acarriage, a plurality-of pairs oi'grlpping'jaws mounted on saidcarriage, a plurality of receptacles'disposed inspaoed relation betweensaid support and said I carriage, means for moving said articlestoextend '15 their ends 1a. predetermined distance-"from "saidsupportwover' difierentreceptacles;depending on thejlengths oi thearticles, means for moving said carriage to position said jaws togripthe extending ends of said articles.

22. A machine for separating elongated articles 1 into different groupscomprising a supportfori articles, means'onf saidsupport' for holdingarticles injspaced relation, a pusher rod for moving 7 each article,means, tor intermittently moving 251' said support,"means {or movingsaid pusher 'rods a given distance during each" movement of saidsupport, a, receptacle under each supported ar-- ticle, said pusher'rodsser'vingto engage said articles and move the same toextend1the'endsoi' articles of different lengths ,overidiflferent receptacles and means operating, with each intermit tent movement of saidsupport to deposit may receptacle articles having. their-ends extended apredetermined distance. 35 23; A machine for separating elongat darticles into different groups comprisingia support for articles, meanson said, support for holdingarticlesin spaced relation,v a pusherrod,for each 1 4-0 mittently'moving said support, means foremoving fsaid pusherrodsa, given distance during each; movement ofsaidsupportm'receptacle to receive 7 a article, means: for each pushermeans'fioriinter articles under'each supported article, said pusherrodsservin'gt n a e saidarticles and move the 45" 1 same. to extend theends thereof from: one side 7 0f said supportjarticles oiv differentlengths'hav; ing their endsextended while overdifierentreceptacles,glipper'jaws'movable overeach receptacle ing said jaws togrip said ends with each niovec to grip extended ends'of articles, meansfor movment of, said support, means for actuating said 7 jaws to griparticles having their ends extendeda jaws to move gripped articles 'fromsaid support and. means for actuating said jaws to release articles fordeposit in said receptacles. i

ERIK c. LIN'DEGAARD.

V ped articles from said support and means for f r actuating said jawstorelease said articles for the

